QUOTE: Originally posted by C40-2 Where is the final resting place of any of the UP turbines? Have any been preserved or restored? Unfortunatly I was not even thought of when they roamed the tracks.I've read an article in a TRAINS mag. from I beleive the 70's about them. The problem is I cannot find the article now. I Guess I'll have to travel over to Pentrex site for the video..................
QUOTE: Originally posted by dave e They could be started a few minutes after complete shutdown. I did it several time to check governor settinjgs on startup.
QUOTE: Originally posted by espeefoamer The Big Blow turbines were used for a very short time in the early 60s into Los Angeles.There were many complaints about the noise in urban areas,so they always ran with diesels,with the turbine shut down west of Pomona.I got to see them a couple of times [:)] .
USAF TSgt C-17 Aircraft Maintenance Flying Crew Chief & Flightline Avionics Craftsman
QUOTE: Originally posted by RPRiebe [ Chad: A piston engine turbine, is what is called a turbo. It is a turbine style supercharger driven by the engines exhaust, verses a basically similar, in compression funtion, unit driven mechanically off of the engine. Bob
QUOTE: Originally posted by rdganthracite QUOTE: Originally posted by RPRiebe [brDave: Turbines are not driven by heat, turbines are driven by the force of the exhaust. The trick of designing any (including auto units) turbine driven by combustion exhaust, is to design a system that can deal with the heat, which is in four figures, even in a piston engine turbine. Efficient combustion produces two things, among others, greater output and greater heat; i.e. the reason the hottest part of any fire, is where the most efficient (complete) combustion is taking place. Oh but they are driven by the heat. You had better brush up on your thermodynamics. The real trick to efficient engines, be they reciprocating steam. turbine steam, otto cycle, diesel cycle, sterling cycle, or gas turbine, is to maximize the use of the heat generated. During the expansion of the gas in the power stroke, or through the turbine, the energy to pust the pistons or the blades comes from the heat of the gas. The temperature of the gas in the exhaust of a turbine is much cooler than the same gas at the inlet of the power blades.
QUOTE: Originally posted by RPRiebe [brDave: Turbines are not driven by heat, turbines are driven by the force of the exhaust. The trick of designing any (including auto units) turbine driven by combustion exhaust, is to design a system that can deal with the heat, which is in four figures, even in a piston engine turbine. Efficient combustion produces two things, among others, greater output and greater heat; i.e. the reason the hottest part of any fire, is where the most efficient (complete) combustion is taking place.
QUOTE: Originally posted by chad thomas QUOTE: Originally posted by electro-ortcele my question about horns gets burried over and over agian, so I'll ask it in another thread Sorry electro, I spent about a half hour looking for info and came up with nothing. It probably had the same horn that UP was using on there diesel electrics of that time.
QUOTE: Originally posted by electro-ortcele my question about horns gets burried over and over agian, so I'll ask it in another thread
QUOTE: Originally posted by RPRiebe QUOTE: Originally posted by dave e The hole in the bridge and roasted pigeons sound like urban legends to me. First, the exhaust wasn't THAT hot, the object of the game was to extract as much heat as possible from the fuel to spin the turbine. This is unlike a jet aircraft in which the useful energy comes out the back as thrust. Consider also the large steam locos were running at the same time, blasting the undersides of bridges. I worked as a trainee engineer for GE, both at Erie when the 8500 hp were built and 3 months as service engineer at Omaha, NP and SLC. Dave: Young pigeons may have fallen to the heat of the exhaust, probably dead of shock from the heat, or grounded by singed feathers, but I am fairly sure veteran pigeons knew when to vacate, and when to relax. Turbines are not driven by heat, turbines are driven by the force of the exhaust. The trick of designing any (including auto units) turbine driven by combustion exhaust, is to design a system that can deal with the heat, which is in four figures, even in a piston engine turbine. Efficient combustion produces two things, among others, greater output and greater heat; i.e. the reason the hottest part of any fire, is where the most efficient (complete) combustion is taking place. I doubt a hole was "blown" , in the road, (yet, I was not there) but it proabably did melt the surface and caused fire at the hottest point, if it was a tar road. I first heard the story from one who was involved in railroading, but that was a long time ago.
QUOTE: Originally posted by dave e The hole in the bridge and roasted pigeons sound like urban legends to me. First, the exhaust wasn't THAT hot, the object of the game was to extract as much heat as possible from the fuel to spin the turbine. This is unlike a jet aircraft in which the useful energy comes out the back as thrust. Consider also the large steam locos were running at the same time, blasting the undersides of bridges. I worked as a trainee engineer for GE, both at Erie when the 8500 hp were built and 3 months as service engineer at Omaha, NP and SLC.
QUOTE: Originally posted by samfp1943 These turbines were pretty much confined to upen country runs, noise being an issue in urban settings. There was a story told that at one time a crew had spotted an idling turbine under a bridge, possibly in Cheyenne, and the exhaust heat liquified the asphalt on the bridge..
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